Martine Batchelor

Martine Batchelor was born in France in 1953. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in Korea in 1975 and trained in Seon Buddhism under the late Master Kusan at Songgwangsa Monastery for ten years. Her training also took her to nunneries in Taiwan and Japan. From 1981 to 1985, she served as Kusan Sunim’s interpreter and accompanied him on teaching tours throughout the United States and Europe. She translated his book The Way of Korean Zen and later returned her nun’s vows following his death.
 

In 1985, she returned to Europe with her husband, Stephen Batchelor. She lived for several years in the Sharpham North Community in Devon, England, and worked as a lecturer and spiritual counsellor at Gaia House and other Buddhist centers in Britain. She has also been active in interfaith dialogue and previously served as a Trustee of the International Sacred Literature Trust.
 

She is the author of numerous books, including Meditation for Life, The Path of Compassion: The Bodhisattva Precepts, Women in Korean Zen, Women on the Buddhist Path, Let Go: A Buddhist Guide to Breaking Free of Habits, The Spirit of the Buddha, and What Is This? Ancient Questions for Modern Minds. Her writings explore meditation, ethics, women in Buddhism, and the integration of practice into everyday life.
 

Batchelor is a member of the faculty at Bodhi College and has contributed to mindfulness and compassion research through the Silver Santé Study in France, which investigates the effects of meditation on ageing. Known for her clear, practical, and accessible teaching style, she continues to lead meditation retreats primarily in Europe. She is also an avid photographer and maintains an interest in art and creativity as expressions of wisdom and compassion.
 

She lives in France with her husband, Stephen Batchelor.